Int. J. Agri. Agri. R.
International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research (IJAAR) ISSN: 2223-7054 (Print) 2225-3610 (Online) http://www.innspub.net Vol. 8, No. 2, p. 75-81, 2016 OPEN ACCESS
RESEARCH PAPER
Effect of feeding mulberry multinutrient blocks on feed intake of maize stover in calves Ishrat Roomi Integrated Mountain Areas Research Center, Karakoram International University, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan Article published on February 18, 2016 Key words: Mulberry multinutrient block, feed intake, maize stover, calves, rumen ammonia.
Abstract An experiment was conducted consisting of two cattle breeds and two diets. Eight Sahiwal and eight Achai calves (6-10months age) were housed in individual pens and were offered a basal diet of maize stover ad libitum. Each of the breed groups was randomly divided in to two equal subgroups, control and treatment (4 calves/group). The control group was not given any supplement and the treatment group was given free access to mulberry multinutrient block (MMB). The control and MMB calves daily consumed 1.65 and 1.63 Kg/100Kg body weight (BWT) maize stover dry matter (DM) and 1.65 and 2.29Kg/100Kg BWT total feed DM, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that the maize stover intake was not influenced by diet (P>0.05) while total feed intake was higher (P<0.001) with MMB diet. The intake of maize stover and MMB were same in Sahiwal and Achai and did not affect by the breed (P>0.05). Achai calves consumed more (P<0.05) MMB than Sahiwal calves (9.56 vs 7.00g/Kg BWT). Mean ammonia-N in the rumen fluid of calves varied due to diet (P<0.0001) and breed (P<0.05). Rumen ammonia concentration averaged 64.12 and 148.04mg N/l on control and MMB diets, respectively and 123.59 and 94.57mg N/l in Sahiwal and Achai calves, respectively. It was concluded that MMB was effective in increasing total feed intake of maize stover based diets in the calves and was palatable also. Due to low cost of MMB (as mulberries are abundantly available in the season), feeding of MMB to ruminant livestock in Gilgit Baltistan of Pakistan is recommended. * Corresponding
Author: Ishrat Roomi ď&#x20AC;Ş ishrat.roomi@kiu.edu.pk
Roomi Page 75
Int. J. Agri. Agri. R. Introduction
intensive and compatible to existing small farm
Pakistan is an agricultural country and livestock
holdings.
significantly contribute to the economy of the country. Livestock share in national GDP is 11.8% and in
Due to heavy snowfall, animals are mostly stall fed
agricultural GDP is 55.9% (Economic survey, 2013-14).
with crop residues and mature grasses during winter in Gilgit Baltistan. In rare situation home grown
Geographical and climatic conditions of Pakistan
grains, kitchen leftovers and some concentrates are
have large variability. It has the benefits of both
offered
irrigated plains and range areas extended from the
expensive to justify their use as a supplement. The
coastal ranges in the south to the alpine pastures in
effect on ruminants of such feeding include anoestrus,
the north. Gilgit Baltistan is situated in the north of
low calving, low birth weight, high calf mortality,
Pakistan, span over an area of 72, 496 sq km. The
reduced growth rate and low milk production. Under
region is dominated by the most mountainous
nutrition reduces animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vitality and leads to
landscape on the earth that makes most of the area
various health problems (Preston and Leng, 1984).
uninhabitable. Our settings are characterized by a
Efficient utilization of available feed resources and
highly fragile mountain ecosystem of the Pamir,
improvement in nutritive value of available fodder,
Hindu-Kush, Karakorum and Himalayas, where
forages or crop residues through chemical and
pastoralism is a key source of livelihoods for majority
biological means offers a promising tool to minimize
of the people. Although the area is rich in natural
the gap between nutrient availability and demand
resources but there is a continuous and high
(Sarwar et al., 2002).
to
milking
animals.
Concentrates
are
dependency of local communities on the natural resources. Because of the shortage of cultivable land
Molasses urea block is a convenient and inexpensive
for fodder, ruminants are mostly grazed on summer
method of providing a range of nutrients required by
pastures and winter rangelands. The majority of the
both the rumen microbes and the animals which may
rangelands in Gilgit-Baltistan are regularly grazed
be deficient in the diet. The main justification for
beyond their carrying capacity (FAO 1987; Alvi and
using blocks depends on their convenience for
Sharif 1995; Beg 2010). Ruminant diets in Gilgit
packaging, storage, transportation and easy feeding.
Baltistan are mostly based on fibrous feed including
Urea, known to farmers as a fertilizer for crop
mature pastures and crop residues i.e wheat straw,
production, has been traditionally used in making
stovers, stubbles etc. These feeds are imbalanced,
multinutrient blocks for livestock for improving feed
deficient in nutrients like protein, minerals and
digestibility and providing protein (Makkar 2007). At
vitamins and are highly lignified due to which their
least, 60 countries are now using the multinutrient
digestibility is low. Existing feed resources are limited
technology as a strategic supplement for ruminants,
due to high pressure on land for cereal grains, used
mainly cows, sheep and goats raised under harsh
for human consumption and it cannot be spared for
conditions (Ben Salem et al., 2007).
additional
fodder.
There
is
diminishing
and
fluctuating supply of nutrients throughout the year
Molasses
due to extreme weather conditions. This situation
preparation of multinutrient blocks but it is not
demands supplementation for deficient nutrients.
available in Gilgit Baltistan of Pakistan. Being a
Nontraditional feed supplements are usually very
liquid, it is difficult and expensive to be transported
expensive and most of our farmers cannot afford to
from other parts of the country. Gilgit Baltistan is rich
feed
supplements.
in mulberry trees. Mulberry fruit as fresh or in dried
Therefore, there is a need for using alternative feed
form is used for human consumption. However, large
supplements, which are economical, less labor
quantity of fresh and dried mulberry is wasted every
required
amount
of
these
is
a
major
ingredient
used
in
the
year. In one of my preliminary work, an attempt for
Roomi Page 76
Int. J. Agri. Agri. R. the first time was made to substitute molasses by
daily during the last week and stored at -10C in a
mulberry for making multinutrient blocks that proved
freezer for chemical analysis.
successful. Formulation of multinutrient blocks based on low cost and locally available feed resources that
Rumen ammonia concentration
do not compete with human food has been described
On the last day of the experiment, rumen fluid was
as very promising (Makkar, 2007). The study was
collected from each animal through a stomach tube,
planned to generate information for the first time on
immediately before and four hours after offering the
the nutritional aspects of MMB feeding in growing
morning feed and strained through a double layer of
calves, fed a basal diet of low quality roughages. The
muslin cloth. Aliquot 50ml was transferred to a bottle
overall aim of the study was to provide base line
and acidified with 1cc concentrated sulfuric acid. The
information on the use of mulberry multinutrient
samples were centrifuged at 4000rpm for 5 minutes
blocks as a strategic supplement.
in a laboratory centrifuge. 10ml of the supernatant was transferred through pipette in to a distillation
Materials and methods
tube (capacity 250ml), added with 10ml distilled
Experimental design and animals
water and connected to the Labcono Rapid Still-II for
The experiment was conducted in randomized
distillation. The resulting ammonia was collected in a
complete block design (RCBD), involving two diets i.e
conical flask containing 10ml boric acid reagent. The
control and mulberry multinutrient block (MMB) and
distillate was titrated with 0.01N sulfuric acid.
two species of animals (Sahiwal and Achai). Eight growing calves of about 6 to 10 months age were
Analytical methods
selected. They were further divided according to the
Dry matter and ash contents in feed samples and the
body weight in to two equal groups, four calves per
distillation were determined with the standard
group. Within each animal breed, the two groups
procedures of AOAC (1990). In all cases analyses were
were assigned to control diet and MMB supplemental
performed in triplicate. The data was analyzed with
diet. Maize stover was used as a basal diet for all the
the analysis of variance procedure described by Steel
animals.
and Torrie (1980). The main effects were diets, breed
All
the
animals
were
drenched
(25cc/animal) a broad spectrum anthelmintic for
and their interaction.
treatment against gastrointestinal parasites, one week before commencement of the study. The animal
Results and discussion
experimentation part of the study lasted for four
Feed intake
weeks, including three weeks adaptation period and
Results on daily feed consumption are summarized in
one week data collection period.
Table 1. Daily feed consumption results (g/day) were corrected for body weight (BWT) of the calves and
Feed intake
expressed as Kg DM/100Kg BWT to get a reliable
All the animals were individually fed once a day each
comparison of the breeds. This was important
morning by offering known quantity of chopped
because calves of the two breeds Sahiwal and Achai
maize stover, 10% in access of the previous day
were markedly different in their skeleton size and
consumption to ensure ad lib intake throughout the
body weight. The dry matter intake (DMI) of maize
experiment. The refusals were weighed every morning
stover as percent of BWT did not significantly vary
before offering next feed. Feed blocks were also
due to diets (P>0.05) and breed (P>0.05). Mean DMI
weighed daily to estimate consumption by the calves.
of maize stover was 1.65 and 1.63Kg/100Kg BWT on
Clean drinking water was offered in buckets three
control and MMB diets, respectively. The daily intake
times daily. Representative samples of the offered and
of maize stover by the calves as percent of BWT did
refused maize stover and feed block were collected
not change with MMB supplementation. This finding does not agree with the Jalal-ud-din (1991), who
Roomi Page 77
Int. J. Agri. Agri. R. reported that wheat straw consumption in buffalo
feeding. On the other hand, in the present study and
steers significantly increased in response to molasses
that reported by Faiza (2000), the basal diet of maize
urea block supplementation. However, in line with
stover was relatively high in N (0.8% N in DM),
the study, Faiza (2000) reported that the daily intake
therefore, the intake of maize stover did not increase
of maize stover did not increase with molasses urea
with block supplementation. In the present study,
block in calves. It appears that the effect of block on
ammonia concentrations in the rumen fluid in control
roughage intake is related to the quality especially N
calves were above the optimum level of 50mg N/l
contents of basal diet. In studies such as conducted by
rumen fluid (Satler and Slyter1974). This suggested
Jalal-ud-din (1991) and Shahab-ud-din (1992), where
that fermentable N was not limiting in calves on
the basal diet of wheat straw was low in N (0.4% N in
control diet.
DM), the intake by animals increased with block Table 1. Mean feed consumption of Sahiwal and Achai calves given maize stover with or without mulberry multinutrient block (MMB). Observations
Control Diet
MMB
Sahiwal Achai Mean
Significance
Sahiwal Achai Mean
Diet (D) Breed (B) D x B
A. Maize Stover Intake Dry matter intake g/d
970
Dry matter intake kg/100kg BWT Organic matter intake g/d
1.65 903
Organic matter intake kg/100kg BWT
1.54
707
1062
685
873
1.66
1.65
1.74
1.51
1.63
658
780
991
639
815
1.63
1.41
1.52
1.54
838
1.54
NS
P<0.01
NS NS
NS
NS
NS
P<0.01
NS
NS
NS
NS
B. Total Feed Intake Dry matter intake g/d
707
838
1391
1.65
1.66
1.65
2.29
Organic matter intake g/d
903
658
780
1232
853
1042
P<0.05
Organic matter intake kg/100kg BWT
1.54
1.54
1.54
2.02
1.91
1.97
P<0.001
Dry matter intake kg/100kg BWT
970
1019 2.30
1205 2.29
P<0.01 P<0.001
P<0.05
NS
NS
NS
P<0.05 NS
NS NS
NS = Non significant (P>0.05)
The daily intake of total dry matter as percent of BWT
Sahiwal and Achai calves was recorded with regard to
was significantly affected by diet (P<0.001) but did
daily intake (Kg DM/100Kg BWT) of maize stover
not respond to difference in the breed (P>0.05). The
(P>0.05) and total feed (P>0.05). Mean feed
calves having access to mulberry multinutrient blocks
consumption (Kg DM/100Kg BWT) in Sahiwal and
consumed more (P<0.001) total feed DM than the
Achai calves across the two diets averaged 1.69 and
control group (2.29 vs 1.65Kg/100Kg BWT). No
1.59 for maize stover and 1.98 and 1.97 for total feed
interaction (P>0.05) of diet and breed was found for
respectively.
any of the intake parameters. Results of organic matter intake of maize stover and total feed exhibited
Daily consumption of MMB during the adaptation
the same pattern in response to difference in diets
period gradually increased from 381g/day on day-1 to
and breed as reported above for DMI.
401g/day on day-7 in Sahiwal calves and from 309g/day on day-1 to 522g/day on day-7 in Achai
Total dry matter intake (DMI) by the calves remained
calves and then remained constant with little
higher (P<0.001) on block supplementation diet. This
variation in both the breeds. As shown in Table 2,
is in close agreement with the findings of Tiwari et al.
after the adaptation period, block consumption
(1990), Mehra et al. (1991), Badurdeen et al. (1994)
during the last seven days of the experiment,
and Faiza (2000) which consistently showed that
averaged 423 and 408g/day in Sahiwal and Achai
total DMI significantly increased when multinutrient
calves, respectively but the difference was statistically
blocks were offered to the animals. No difference in
non significant (P>0.05). However, when the block
Roomi Page 78
Int. J. Agri. Agri. R. consumption was calculated on BWT basis, Achai
the rumen fluid of Achai calves despite higher block
calves consumed (P<0.05) more block than Sahiwal
consumption than Sahiwal calves was interesting and
calves (9.56 vs 7.00g/Kg BWT). The reason for high
may be due to difference in the transaction of N in the
block intake in Achai than Sahiwal calves is not
rumen of two breeds. Van Soest (1982) discussed that
known and may explain difference in eating behavior
absorption of ammonia across the rumen wall and
of the two breeds. Sansoucy et al. (1987) reported that
utilization efficiency of ammonia by rumen microbes
block intake by animals was related to several
are the possible factors that affect net concentration
intrinsic factors of block and the animal.
of ammonia in the rumen.
Table 2. Mean daily consumption of mulberry multinutrient blocks (MMB) by Sahiwal and Achai calves on maize stover diets. Observations Block Intake g/day
Sahiwal Achai Mean Significance 423
408 416
7.00 9.56 8.25 Block Intake g/kg BWT NS = Non Significant (P>0.05)
NS P<0.05 Fig. 1. Mean rumen ammonia concentrations at different time in Sahiwal and Achai calves on control and mulberry multinutrient block diets.
Rumen ammonia concentration Mean ammonia concentration in the rumen fluid of calves before and after feeding is illustrated in Fig-1.
Conclusion
Ammonia concentration significantly varied due to
The overall conclusion drawn from the results of the
diet (P<0.0001), sampling time (P<0.05) and breed
present study is that as a supplementary strategy
(P<0.05). Comparison of the means with LSD
mulberry multinutrient blocks were effective in calves
procedure revealed that ammonia concentrations in
given a basal diet of maize stover. Sahiwal and Achai
the rumen fluid of calves given MMB were higher
calves had the same capacity to consume maize stover
(P<0.05) than those fed control diet (148.04 vs
diets under the conditions of the present study. On
64.12mg N/l). Ammonia concentration in the control
farm preparation of mulberry multinutrient blocks
calves remained above the optimum level of 50mg N/l
offer a great scope for promoting as an income
suggested by Satler and Slyter (1974). The present
generating activity especially by female farmers of
results agree with the findings of Jalal-ud-din (1991)
Gilgit Baltistan.
and Saeed (2000), who reported 2 to 3 times higher ammonia
concentrations
in
animals
receiving
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